Having high systolic blood pressure can cause damage to your cardiovascular system. Your systolic blood pressure is the maximum pressure in your arteries (the pressure when the heart is actively pumping) High systolic blood pressure has been linked to an increased risk of having a heart attack, because it forces the heart to work harder to pump blood throughout your body. High systolic blood pressure is typically treated using several lifestyle changes and, at times, pharmaceuticals.
Step 1
Start doing thirty minutes of exercise each day (even if it is just walking). Exercise will improve your overall cardiovascular health and lower your systolic blood pressure. In addition, it can help you lose excess weight, which can also lower your systolic blood pressure.
Step 2
Eat a healthy diet. The foods that you eat can have a dramatic effect on your systolic blood pressure. Limit the salt in your diet, as salt can cause your body to retain more fluid, raising your systolic blood pressure. You should also avoid fatty foods (particularly those with high quantities of saturated fat) and eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice a week, particularly salmon, herring and trout as they have high levels of omega 3 fatty acids.
Step 3
Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Cigarettes harm your cardiovascular system and raise your systolic blood pressure. If you drink alcohol, limit it to one drink per day (if you are a woman or over the age of sixty-five; otherwise two drinks per day is the limit).
Step 4
Limit your stress. Emotional stress causes your body to release chemicals that increase your blood pressure. Minimize the amount of time you spend in stressful situations and practice ways of managing stress, such as indulging in a hobby that relaxes you or trying deep breathing.
Step 5
Take hypertension medications. Hypertension medications can be used if the above techniques are not sufficient to get your blood pressure under control. There are very many different kinds of medication that can be used to treat high blood pressure. Some work by eliminating fluid from the body, others work to expand your blood vessels, and others relax the heart. Depending on your overall health your doctor may recommend one type of medication or another.
